Ishkodewan courtyard soon to bloom!

Posted on Tuesday, May 7th, 2019

Ishkodewan courtyardAfter months of being covered in snow, the Ishkodewan courtyard will soon be home to a garden of a thousand plants in bloom – from black-eyed Susan and chokecherry to rosy sedge and yellowwood poppy.

These are just to name of few of the flowers, shrubs, and trees that a group of Horticultural students are set to plant over the next several weeks in an act to transform the DARE District’s outdoor courtyard – the Ishkodewan – into the perfect place for any outdoor activity, from a wedding ceremony to a lunch-break meditation.

Early May, Ron McLester, Vice President, Truth, Reconciliation & Indigenization, held a brief ceremony in the courtyard to introduce 16 new Horticultural Industries students to the Ishkodewan, to explain Algonquin College’s commitment to Indigenization, as well as the significance of the job ahead of them.

The transformation involves planting more than 100 different species of flowering plants, shrubs, and trees – common yarrow, white baneberry, wild geranium, sweetgrass, milkweed, swamp rose, dogwood, witch-hazel, and fir, to name a few.

All of the plants are native to southern Ontario and many of them have cultural, ceremonial, or even medicinal significance for some Indigenous peoples. The garden project has been in the works since planning began on the DARE District nearly three years ago, and reflects Algonquin College’s commitment to embed Indigenous traditions into the culture.

When the Ishkodewan is done, it will be a unique courtyard garden, and make a significant symbolic statement. The student’s work is expected to begin mid-May.


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